Feeding mechanism for printing-machines



A. S. BULLEN AND C. JEAYES.

FEEDING MECHANISM lFOR PRINTING MACHINES. APPLlcAnoN FILED Aua.26, 1920.

1,396,622. Patented Nov. s, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Inventors A.S. Eu/L?/ezz/ C. Jeyee 'bern/ey A. S. BULLEN AND C. .IEAYES.

FEI-:DING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-26. |920.

YEL@

SWIM W Nm I ms /Tl Il.. @Q

.d T o o Il D; o o el@ 017610388 'BPMM A. S. BULLEN AND C. JEAYES. FEEIJING MEcHANIsM FoII PRINTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-26, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

11Lve1vb0l-S' 1,5213 LOZ/Z610 @,Tealye A. S. BULLEN AND C. JEAYES. FEEDING NEcNIINIsM roII PRINTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION I'ILED AUG.26, |920.

Z'n/v globals A. 3.13 wZY/ezz/ C Jgd/598 BJ M.

L-bolzfwl/ A. S. BULLEN AND C. lE'AYES.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED AuG.26. 1920.

1,396,622. PatentedNw. 8,1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET S.

11u; @Ineens A. ,23 w ZZ 612,

0, Je @y e6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED SHERRAR BULLEN .AND CHARLES JEAYES, OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

Application tiled August 26, 1920. Serial No. 406,252.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED SHERRAR BUrLnN and CHARLES .in-rms, both of the city of Auckland, in the Provincial District of Auckland, in the Dominion of New Zealand7 subjects of the King of Great Britain and ireland7 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for Printing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of printing machines, on which envelops, bags and the like are printed in their made up condition.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved feeding mechanism for printing machines by which the envelops stacked on a table are fed forwardly and removed therefrom for delivery to the printing machine.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood it will now be described in detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the parts of a printing machine to which the invention relates.

Fig. 2 is a face view of the gravity board. and

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof (shown vertically) while Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the gravity board, taken in the plane of arow of stop pins.

Figs. 5 and cross sectional table.

Figs. 7, 87 9 and 10 are detail views of the feeding mechanism of said table.

Figs'. 11 and 12 are a side view and a sec*- tional view respectively of the suction feed apparatus.

Figs. 13 and 14 are an end view and a part plan and part sectional view respectively of the stereo cylinder.

Figs. 15 and 16 are views of a clip used on the stereo cylinder.

Figs. 17 and 18 illustrate the means for locking and adjusting the stereo cylinder clips.

Figs. 19 and 2O are an end view and a side view (broken) respectively of the blanketed cylinder.

Fig. 21 is a part end view of the blanketed cylinder showing track for withdrawing envelop grips.

6 are a plan View and a view respectively of the feed Figs. 22, 28, 24 and 25 are detail views of the blanketed cylinder grips.

Figs 26 and 27 are a side view and a plan view respectively of the final stacking roller and platform.

Fig. 28 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relative positions of stereo plates, envelop grips and zero points, on the twin rollers.

The main parts of the apparatus comprising the invention are, the stereo cylinder 1. the blanketed cylinder 17, the gravitv board 3, the feed table 4, the suction apparatus 67 and the delivery table or platform 73 and the stacking roller 7 5 acting in con junction therewith.

The stereo cylinder 1 is mounted on a shaft 8 resting in bearings 9 on the frame 10. On the cylinder 1 are a 'number of screwed rods 11 parallel with the axis of said cylinder, each of which has working thereon a clip 12 formed with a toothed lip 13 (Figs. 13 to 18). The rods 11 areA threaded alternately right and left handed, and have square ends which project from one end of the cylinder 1. On the squared ends of said rods are toothed wheels 14 kept pressed outward from the cylinder 1 and in engagement with toothed plates 15 secured thereto, by springs 1G.

In order to rotate a rod 11 so that the clip 1Q thereon can be moved in either direction, a handle is slipped on the squared end of the rod and the wheel 14 pressed inward against the spring 16 out of engagement with its toothed plate 15. The rod 11 is then capable of being rotated as required, but immediately the handle is taken olf the squared end the spring 16 pushes the wheel, 14 outward again into engagement with the toothed plate 15 and the rod 11 is locked against rotation.

The cylinder 17 is mounted on a shaft 18 supported in bearings 19 on the frame 10, in close proximity to the cylinder 1 and carries the envelop grips 20, the latter being formed with lips 21 which face the gravity board 3 as the grips 20 pass same (Figs. 1 and 19 to 25).

Each grip 20 is preferably gapped or formed with teeth to provide a series of gripping teeth as shown in Fig. 25.

The grips 2O extend the full length of and project from longitudinal slots in the cylinder 17 and are kept pressed outward by springs 22 housed in the arms 23 of the end casting oit' the cylinder. Each grip 20 also carries a roller 2Oa at each end, said rollers Y 20 projecting beyond the latter and being engaged by rails 24 at the sides of the man chine for the purpose of causing said grips 20 to be drawn inward against the action of the springs 22 as the cylinder 17 is rotated in the direction indicated. Stops 25 on the cylinder 17 ends, limit outward movement of the grips 2O by the springs 22.

The cylinder 17 is covered with a blanket 26 of rubber, the latter being in sections secured between the grips 20. To secure the blanket sections in position the rubber is stripped back a lshort distance from each end of the section and the canvas or other backing 27 is clamped beneath bars 28 screwed in recesses 29 formed longitudinally of the cylinder 17 (Fig. 22).

The stereo cylinder 1 carries the same number of arched stereo plates as there are envelop grips 2O on the cylinder 17, the number of grips on the latter determining the number of envelope` capable of being printed during each revolution of the cyl inder 17.

The arched stereo plates are secured on the cylinder 1 by being gripped between clips 12, the toothed lips 13 or' which bite into the metal edges of the plates and prevent the latter from being worked or slipping backward around the circumference of the cyl inder by the continual revolving and the printing operations.

Each stereo plate must be adjusted on the cylinder 1 in relation to a grip 20 on the cylinder 17, in order that an envelop and a sterco plate will meet or `both come to the printing position simultaneously in order that the envelop will not only receive an imp1ession-from the stereo plate but will receive it fairly and squarely at the spot desired.

The stereo cylinder 1 and the cylinder 17 each have the same number of zero points thereon, said Zero points consisting of lines or markings running the full width of the cylinders.

For the purpose of illustration, it will be assumed that three envelops are to be printed during one complete revolution of the cylinder 17. i

The cylinder 1 and the cylinder 17 each has three zero points 81, 82, 83 (Fig. 28) equally spaced around same, said points being so arranged that as the cylinders 1 and 17 revolve toward each other, a Zero point on the cylinder 1 and a zero point on the cylinder 17 meet or come directly opposite each other at the printing position which is as indicated in Fig. 28 by the zero points 81 of the cylinders 1 and'17 being Vat the dead center.

`The envelop grips 2O are located one at each zero point on the cylinder 17, while a stereo plate 84 is secured on the cylinder 1 slightly behind each zero point thereon.

t will thus be seen that for each grip 2O on the cylinder 17, a stereo plate 84 must be provided on the cylinder 1, in order to insure each envelop as it is brought to the printing position, being met by a stereo plate, the number of the latter on the cylinder 1 and the number of grips 20 on the cylinder 17 being determined by the diameters of the cylinders and the output oit work desired.

The object in providing the zero points 81, 82 and 83 on the stereo cylinder 1, and in locating them on the latter, so that each is met at the dead center printing position by the corresponding Zero point on the cylinder 17, is to facilitate the obtaining of a perlect register, or in other words to enable each envelop to receive its impression or printing matter in exactly the same position or spot, andalso to enable said position or spot to be located the desired distance from the envelop edge by simply adjusting the stereo plates 84 toward or from the stereo cylinder Zeropoints, as is found necessary.

A bar 85 set in standards 86 and eXtending from side` to side of the machine, above and between the cylinders 1 and 17. has mounted thereon a vnumber of retaining springs 87, which project downward between said cylinders 1 and 17 to just short of the printing position. The function of these springs 87 is to keep the envelops whichvare gripped only at one edge, as they come around to the printing position, pressed against the cylinder 17 and so prevent them from flapping over against the inked stereo plate, prior to printing.

Also projecting from said bar 85 are a number of hooked guide wires 88, so located in relation to the lower end of the gravity board 3, that they prevent the pos sibility of an envelop as same leaves said board, passingover or not entering the open grip presented to receive it.

The gravity board 3 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) is mounted on the frame 10 so as to slope upward from over the cylinder 17 to the end of thc feed table 4, said board 3 being provided with grooves 30 in its upper surface, and having adjustable sides 31 which taper downward toward each other.

The lower end of the gravity board 3 can be gapped as at 8O (Fig. 2) to permit the toothed grips 20 to pass through same.

Adapted to be projected through slots 32a on the board3 at'regulated intervals, are rows of pins 32 mounted on bars 33 carried at the ends of rocking levers 34 operated through connecting rods 35 and 36 and an eccentric 37 from a shaft 38.

The rows of pins 32 are mounted on bars 33 provided with more holes-than there are pins 32 so that the latter are adjustable sideways for varying widths of envelops. The pins 32 are operated so t-hat alternate rows project from the board 3 while the other rows are withdrawn (Figs. 1 and 3).

The feed t-able 4 (Figs. 1 and 6 to 10) is hinged at 39, and has a quadrant 40 at the opposite end capable of being locked upon a stud 41 projecting from the frame 10, in order that said table can be raised or lowered as required to present varying heights of envelops with their top edges opposite the point where suction occurs as vacuum apparatus revolves.

The table 4 has sides 42 adjustable by means of slotted brackets 57 and thumb screws 58, and between which a support 43 is Capable of being moved longitudinally of t-he table, the latter being formed with slots 44.

A carriage 45 located beneath the table 4 and provided with rollers 46 which bear on runners 59, has uprights 48 projecting through the slots 44 to carry the support 43.

On the underside of the carriage 45, brackets 60 a short distance apart are provided, and through said brackets 60 the operating screw 47 passes freely.

Pivoted between the brackets 60 is a half nut 48a threaded to work on the top side of the screw 47, said nut being retained in engagement with the screw 47 against the influence of a hinge spring 50 by a catch 49 mounted between the brackets 60 at the opposite side to the hinge of the half nut 48a.

The screw 47 is mounted at. its ends in bearings 51 and at the outer end of the table, has keyed thereon a ratchet wheel 52, the latter being turned by the action of spring pawls 53 at the ends of separate arms 61 operated through rods 54, and 54, and arms 55 and 55, and rod 56 from the eccentric 37 on the shaft 38.

As the screw 47 is rotated the carriage 45 is moved along the feed table 4 toward the gravity board 3, owing to the engagement of the half nut 48 with said screw. Then the carriage 45 comes to the limit of its movement toward said gravitv board 3, the half nut retaining catch 49 is engaged by a projection 49a on the under side of the feed board, and moved so as to enable the half nut 48a to swing upward on its hinge, clear of the screw 47, under the iniiuence of the hinge spring 50, whereupon movement of the carriage ceases.

The apparatus through which the vacuum is caused to act in order to cause the tipping over of the envelops from the feed table 4 on to the gravity board 3, is illustrated in Figs. 1, 11 and 12, and comprises a hollow spindle 64 in communication with an air exhauster through a pipe 65, and containing a port 66.

Rotatably mounted on the hollow spindle 64 is a sleeve 67 with arms 68 each of which contains a radial passage 69 capable of registering with the port 66 in the spindle 64.

The shape of the passage 69 is such that the cross sectional shape of same is little more than a slot, and the mouths of said passages are capable of being opened and closed by slides 70 in order that the length of the slot can be regulated as required.

The sleeve 67 is rotated in the direction indicated in Fig. 1 by the drive 71 and causes each radial passage 69 to in turn communicate with the interior of the spindle 64 through the port 66, so that vacuum can act therein.

Below the cylinder 17 is a deiiector plate 72 down which printed envelops are delivered to a table or platform 73 (Figs. 26 and 27) where they are stacked against a support 74 by the rotation of the -roller 75.

The table or platform 73 also has sides 76 adjustable by means of slotted brackets 77 and thumb screws 78 and the support 74 is slidably mounted so that as each envelop is forced between the already stacked envelops and the roller by the action of the latter, the support 74 is moved outward by the pressure to provide space for it.

As a safeguard against envelops falling between the end of the table or platform 73 and the roller 75, the latter is provided with ribs 79 which enter openings made in the table or platform end.

lVhen the machine is in use, the sleeve 67, cylinders 1 and 17 and roller 75 are rotated continuously in the direction indicated, any suitable known mechanism being utilized for driving the cylinders 1 and 17 and roller 75 and also the shaft 38.

The sides 42 of the feed table 4, the sides 31 of the gravity board 3 and the sides 76 of the table or platform 73 are adjusted to suit the length of the envelops to be printed, the sides of the gravity board being tapered toward each other to direct envelops accurately on to the cylinder 17.

The envelops are then stacked on the table 4 so as to lie slightly backward against the support 43, with the faces on which thel printing is to be placed away from the gravity board 3.

The operation of the screw 47 forces the carriage 45 and with it the support 43 along the table 4 so that the envelops are pushed on their edges toward the gravity board 3.

As the mouth of each arm 68 on the sleeve 67 comes opposite the upper edge of the first envelop on the table 4, the passage 69 in said arm is put in communication with the vacuum created by the air exhauster, through the port 66, hollow spindle 64 and pipe -65.

This causes the upper edge of the first envelop to be attracted to the arm and to tilt over against the latter, while the lower edge of the envelop remains on the table 4.

The continued rotation ofthe arm 68 causes the passage 69 therein to pass the port 66 in the sleeve 67 and the vacuum to cease acting on the envelop which then sim-k ply leans against the arm and continues to fall over until the latter has rotated far enough to permit the envelop to turn completely Vov-er onto the gravity board 3.

The envelop, now with the tace on which the printing is to be placed, upward gravitates down the board 3 until caught by the lirst row of pins 32 which are projecting. The first row of pins 32 are then withdrawn and the envelop gravitates farther down the board and is caught by the second, third and fourth rows of pins 32 in turn, so that it descends the board in as many separate movements as there are rows of pins.

After being freed from the last row of pins 32 the envelop is directed so that its lowermost edge passes beneath the projecting lip 21, of a grip 20 which is timed to be directly below the end of the board 3 as the envelop descends.

As the cylinder 17 rotates a grip 20 which has received an envelop is drawn inward and tightly grips the'latter owing to its rollers 20abeing engaged by the curved rails 24, andthe envolop is firmly held on lthe cylinder 17 while it is passed between the latter and the cylinder 1 and receives an impression rom a stereo plate secured between clips l2 on said cylinder 1.

The succeeding grip 2O which is open, has in the meantime been presented at the bottom of the gravity board 3 and received an envelop, after which it is drawn inward to grip the envelop while the latter is passed between the cylinders 1 and 17 and receives an impression from the succeeding stereo, in a similar manner to the preceding grip 20.

Each envelop is freed in turn from its grip 20, after having been carried slightly more than halt way around the cylinder 17 by the rollers 2()EL of its grip 2O running ofi" the curved rails 24 whereupon the springs of said grip 20 force the latter outward again. Y

Immediately this happens the envelops fall one at a time or in turn from the grips 20 on tothe deilector 72 and descend to between the rotating ribbed roller 75 and support 74, which as each successive envelop descends, is pushed outward owing to the insertion of the last envelop by the action ot the roller 75.

The number of envelops printed during each revolution of the cylinder 17, is determined by the number of grips 20 on the latter, and the correspondingv mumber. of stereo plates on the cylinder 1.V

The finished envelops are removed by hand as form 73. Y

The parts ofV the machine necessary 'for required from the table or platits lsuccessful operation, such as inking mechanism, driving gear, clutch and the like, not described or illustrated, can be of any suitable known constructions.

Claims: i

1. In a machine of the kind described, a hollow spindle containing a port, in communication with yan air eXhauster; a sleeve with arms containing passages adapted to register with said port and to be directed so that the vacuum acts on stacked envelops, and slides adjustable in the extremities of the arms for varying the cross sectional areas of the passages therein.

2. In a machine having a feed table, a hollow spindle having an internal vacuum chamber and a port therein adjacent the table, a sleeve rotatablysupported on the spindle having' arms containing passages adapted to register with said port, said arms being elongated in the direction of the axis of the spindle.

3. In a machine ot the kind described, a feed table, and a screw mounted below same; a carriage from which uprights pass through slots in the table, having brackets through which the screw passes freely; an envelop support on said uprights, a hinged halt nut retained on said screw by a catch, against the iniuence of a spring; and a projection on the underside of the table adapted to be engaged by said catch. i

4f. In a machine of the kind described, a feed table with adjustable sides; a screw mounted in bearings, below said table; a carriage from which uprights project through slots in the table, and having brackets through which the screw passes freely; Van envelop support on said uprights; a halt nut hinged between said brackets and retained against the influence of a spring, in engagement with the screw, by a catch; a ratchet wheel on the end of said screw; a rocking lever carrying spring pawls which engage saidv wheel and means Vfor imparting movement to said rocking Vlever.

5. In a machine of the kind described, a hollow spindle having an internal vacuum chamber and an axially elongated port therein, a feed table arranged adjacent the port in said spindle, a sleeve rotatably supported on the spindle, a plurality of radiating arms carried by the sleeve having the passages therein arranged to successively register with the port in the spindle during rotation of the sleeve, said arms being elongated in the direction of the axis of the spindle, and slides adjustable in the eX- tremities `of the arms for varying the cross sectional area of the passages therein.V

6. In a machinefof the kind described, a feed table, a work supportnmovable over the table, a carriage supporting said support, a feed screw, a feed member on the carriage engageable with the screw, means iis for positively maintaining the feeding means names to this specification in the presence in engagement with the screw throughout of two witnesses. 10

the major portion of the movement of the ALFRED SHERRAR BULLEN carriage, and mea-ns acting to automatically CHARLES JEAYES disengage the feeding means from the screw when the carriage approaches the limit of lVitnesses. its feeding movement. wWILLIAM PINCHES.

In testimony whereof We have signed our OSWALD BRIAN PINCHES. 

